“I run my business by myself and seem to spend a lot of time doing administrative tasks like answering emails from customers or tracking down shipments so I can verify whether or not they’re in transit. What is a good way of minimizing these tasks without cheating my customers?” ~

One  of the most important ways of reducing administration time answering emails is to place a FAQ on your site.  Include the questions you’re getting over and over so that your customers can find it right away and don’t have to email you.  With more and more shoppers being internet savvy – most people look for an FAQ automatically anyway.

Not only will an FAQ help your customers find answers right away, but it can be a great way to help optimize your site for the search engines.  Using strategic keywords in your questions and answers can help individuals find your site via Google, Yahoo, MSN and other search engines.

They’ll appreciate getting their answer right away instead of waiting for an email, too.  As for tracking shipments, perhaps having a tracking number emailed to your customers so they can track it themselves would be a better solution…

“I’m considering hiring bloggers to maintain my blog for me as I just don’t have the time to do it myself.  In your opinion, would it be a better idea to hire bloggers and have continuous new content or post when I have time – which would probably be about every 2 to 3 weeks?” ~

This is a problem a lot of online business owners and marketers have – outsourcing their blogs or not.  You know having a blog is a great way to brand yourself and get important information to your potential customers, but finding the time to post daily or even weekly can be difficult.  There are a few different solutions you could consider.

a.) Hire bloggers if you want bi-weekly, daily or more frequent posts.  If you’re in an industry where up to date information is key, this might be the answer for you.  However, you need to keep in mind that hiring trustworthy, dependable  bloggers can be tough.

You’re going to need to find bloggers who are passionate about your industry and keeping your customers informed.  It could be a long search and a process of trial and error before you find the bloggers that are right for you and your business, but when you do, it can be a rewarding relationship.

b.) Only post every 2 to 3 weeks, but make sure that when you do, you take the time to post well thought out and useful information.  Provide valuable tips that aren’t likely to be outdated soon.

In either case, your customers will appreciate receiving valuable information that helps them in some way.

Extra Tips for Making Your Blog Interesting:

There are a lot of things you can do to keep your blog interesting and valuable to readers. First and foremost – accurate, well-written information. Individuals who are interested in your subject matter will trust your blog if it is found to be as accurate as possible.  Below are a few extra tips you can use to keep your blog interesting.

• Make it Easy-to-Read: You should always write your blog posts in a simple, easy-to-read fashion.  For instance, rather than using large words, use simpler ones.  Write in a very basic fashion so that a large group of readers will benefit.  Sure, you might sound smarter if you use 30-letter words rather than-5 letter words, but readers can quickly get fed up with trying to translate!
• Offer Solutions: Depending upon what subject matter your blog deals with, offering solutions is a great way to keep your blog interesting.  It also offers value to customers.  Ask readers to weigh in on solutions as well, and comment on the blog with their ideas.
• Engage Readers: Blog readers may enjoy themselves more if there is a chance for them to participate.  Offer contests, ask them questions, and interact with readers.  This is a really great way to make your blog more interesting and valuable to readers.

Also, check out these tips for getting more readers to your blog.

Today’s question is from Mark, a small business owner in South Dakota…

“Are there any no cost ways to market my business?”

Realistically, effective marketing requires time and effort, funding, or both – but there are plenty of no and low-cost ways to build your brand and your profits.  The cheapest and most powerful way to increase sales and expand your customer base is to provide quality products and services.

Satisfied clients are the best marketing tool for any business.  Concentrate on delivering value to your customers.  Not only will you enjoy repeat sales from satisfied consumers, but they will also spread the word to friends and family.  Referral discounts and incentives are useful as well.

Other low and no cost ways to market your business include:

• Business cards: Everyone you encounter is a potential customer – or they know someone who could be.  Always carry business cards and hand them out frequently.  Leave cards at your local convenience store, post them on community bulletin boards, and always leave your customers with at least 2 or 3 extras to share with coworkers and friends.
• Build an online presence: The internet has become a thriving marketplace for all types of businesses.  A simple website and/or company blog can do wonders for your business, especially when you use them to establish yourself as an expert in your field.  Free business directory listings can also boost your local visibility.
• Free classifieds: Take advantage of free sites like Craigslist to advertise your products and services.  A well-written ad can open an assortment of new business opportunities. 
• Flyers and brochures: Creative flyers and brochures can be made at home (or you can hire a freelance designer), then passed out in your local community to bring in new clients and increase sales.  
• Social networking: Spend some time with sites like Twitter and Facebook to connect with potential customers and build relationships within your target audience.  Here are a few tips to help you succeed with social networking.

Check out these additional posts for more business marketing tips:

Using the World Wide Web to Benefit Your Business

How to Increase Online Traffic Using Offline Promotion

5 Effective Marketing Tools That Don’t Cost a Fortune

Image by yoshiaka